Railway-signal



(NoMedel.)

J. H. AMES.

RAILWAY SIGNAL. No. 328,913. Patented t.. 27, 1885.

NWN" www VIO Starts .tirar RILWAYNSKGNAL.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 328,913, dated October 27, 1.885.

Application filed July 14, 1884. Serial No. 137,687. (No model.)

To @ZZ whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, J oHN H. AMES, of St. Paul, in the county of Ramsey and State of Minnesota, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Railway-Signals, of which the following is a specification.

This invention has reference to that class of signals which are employed to indicate the condition of the track or tracks of a railroad at yards, switches, junctions, crossings, drawbridges, tunnels, curves, or other portions of the track, or for block and other signaling, and may be used in connection with any mechanical, electric, or other system of interlocking, whereby to guard the tracks, switch es, crossings, 8m.

The invention has special reference to means for restoring or moving the signal, whether for day or night use, automatically to a normal position. This normal position may be that in which the signals are placed to indicate safety,77 danger/7 caution, orders/7 or any other information previously agreed upon and understood bythe railroad officials or operatives.

The invention is intended, more particularly, for use in connection with a target and lantern, the former for day and the latter for night use, the object being to automatically restore the target and lantern to the normal position from which they have been moved by the operator, whether standing'in the neighborhood of the signal or in a cabin or signalstation remote from the signal.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is a side elevation of a structure embodying my invention and showing its application in a simple form. Fig. 2 is a top view or plan of Fig. 1. Fig. 3 shows a side elevation of a modified form of the invention. The preceding gures are intended for use with a singletrack road. Fig. 4 shows a form of the invention as applied to a double track. Fig. 5 shows a modification also for a double track. Fig. 6 shows a modification applied to either a single or double track.

Similar letters of reference indicate similar parts in the respective figures.

In all forms of the invention it is intended to operate the day signal or target in connection with a night signal or lamp, or its-equivalent, the day and night signals being restored to the normal position from which they have spring alone is, however, preferred, and the description of my invention hereinafter given will refer chiefly to the spring.

` A is the day signal or target, and B is a lamp having lenses of different-colored glass, as ordinarily constructed. Each lamp will preferably contain four lenses, the opposing lenses being of the same color-thus, for instance, two lenses opposing each other may be of red glass, and the lenses at a right angle thereto of green glass--all as well known heretofore.

The target and lantern are mounted upon a common revolving shaft, C, preferably standing in a vertical line and turning in bearings c. The target and lantern thus arranged may be placed upon a tower orpost, D, of sufficient altitude to enable the signal to be readily seen by an approaching train, or otherwise convenientl y located, as heretofore well known. rlhe shaft C is provided with a crank-arm, b, having a pin, b', to which a rod, d, is attached. The rod d is adapted to move longitudinally and loosely in a bracket or bearing, c, secured to the tower, post, or other support. Mounted upon the said rod d, and extending between the bracket e and a collar, f, secured toy the rod, is a spiral spring, y. The outer end of the rod d is provided with a ring, h, or other device, by means of which a rope, 1i, may be attached to it, which rope leads to the point or locality at which the operator stands to IOO opposite condition, the operator draws upon the rope t', causing a quarter-revolution of the shaft C and the consequent quarter-revolution ofthe target and lamp, bringing the necessary of an approaching train. The cord i may be operated by hand, or may forma part of a general system of signaling, and be used in connection with interlocking mechanism, all as heretofore well known.

Upon the release of the means which hold the cord drawn back, whether such means are hand or mechanical, the expansive force of the spring gives a quarter-turn backward to the crank-arm b, and consequently causes a corresponding quarter-rotation of the shaft which carries the target and lantern, the signals being thus restored to their normal position.

Th above descriptionrefers more particu:- larly to Figs.` l and 2.

Fig'. 6 shows the invention applied to a sliding target.

In Fig. 3 a spring similar to that described with reference to Figs. land 2 is used, but instead of mounting the lamp-upon the shaft bearing the target, a supplemental crank, k, is placed upon said shaft, which, by a rod, k', attaches to aA slide, Z, which works in connection with a stationary lamp. It will be unstood that the slide isv provided with a glass of a color different from that of the glass or lens properly belonging to the lamp, which glass or lens is of a color used to indicate thel normal condition. Therefore the normal condition of the lamp is that in which it is shown in the figure, namely, with the slide withdrawn from its face, the color of the target which is exposed to view when the slide is withdrawn corresponding with the color of the glass or lens proper to the lamp.

In Fig. 4, in which the invention is shown applicable to adouble-track road, a target and lamp are suspended over each track .to constitute a complete signal, operating in the manner explained with' reference to Figs. 1 and 2, each being independent of the other. In addition7 a stationary lamp or lantern is situated between the two tracks, having slides of the proper colors connected by rods m, with supplemental cranks n mounted upon the rotary shafts, as explained with reference to Fig. 8. This ligure shows a combination of the systems illustrated in Figs. l, 2, and 3.

As a further modification, the lamp may be movable and the colored slide stationary, as shown in Fig. 5.

Havingv described my invention, I claim'- l. In a railroad signaling device, a signalshaft capable of partial rotation and carrying signals, a crank-arm upon said signalshaft, a rod connected to said crank-,arm capable of longitudinal movement, and having thereon a spring adapted to be compressed by force exerted longitudinally upon said rod, and by its expansive force to reset the signalshaft to its normal position, all combined substantially as set forth.

2. In a railroad signaling device, the combination of a signal-carrying shaft capable of a partial rotation, a crank-arm, a stationary lamp, a movable slide operating in connection with the stationary lamp, and a spring for restoring the signals to their normal position, all combined substantially as set forth.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand.

JOHN H. AMES. 

